I must confess that sometimes this blog tends to the gloomy side of the street. Maybe it's my age because as you get older you have less to look forward to and there is a subtle pleasure to be had from passing on one's misery to others - especially if they are young - the ingrates! However, today, in an unusual spirit of goodwill to all men, and women, and courtesy of Alice Cook, the latest lady in my life, I bring you 'Good News'. Incidentally, and before I spell out the glad tidings, you may have noticed my propensity for falling for strong, intelligent and powerful women. Alice Cook is one of those as you will find if you follow my advice and visit her excellent blog Clouded Outlook. She studies "the dismal science", economics, but illuminates it with great clarity and, thank the 'Intelligent Designer', with brevity. And today she also adds good news with this heading:
What a surprise - global wheat supply is better than expected
I really shouldn't enjoy that because only the other day I was inveighing against the 'Greenies' for succeeding in getting farmers to switch thier production to support the ethanol market, and I warned that people might well starve as a result. However, according to Ms. Cook:
There is more US supply and government stocks than previously thought.
There is more global supply.
World demand is lower than expected.
She made me wince with this line:
There are those who love to talk up a crisis.
Alas, 'tis true, 'tis true, but at least I can plead 'not guilty' to her next line:
There are others who know how to profit from such talk.
If I could make any money out of this rubbish I scribble I might move slightly higher off the bottom of 'Dave's Happiness Index. Anyway, she sums up her piece, thus:
Then there is the rest of us, who end up suffering from the joint activites of the miseralists and the speculators.
Over the last month, wheat prices have fallen sharply. A bursting bubble perhaps?
Well, I hope she's right, starvation is an abomination; but anyway, I wouldn't dare say she's wrong. But "miseralist", I rather like that, sums me up perfectly.
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